The Department of Meteorology has issued red lightning alerts for 19 districts across Sri Lanka on April 23, with amber alerts for a further six districts, warning of severe thundershowers from the early afternoon.
The advisory covers the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern and Uva provinces, along with Ampara and Batticaloa districts, and remains in force until 11:00 PM.
Thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are expected after 1:00 PM, with the possibility of temporary localised strong winds, the department said.
The red alert is the broadest single-day lightning advisory issued in recent weeks. Earlier in April, red alerts covered 14 districts on April 15 and seven districts on April 17, suggesting a widening pattern of pre-monsoon convective activity across the island’s central and southern high ground.
Severe lightning remains one of Sri Lanka’s most fatal seasonal weather hazards. A woman died in Wellawaya earlier this month after being struck while working in a paddy field, and the Disaster Management Centre routinely records weather-related deaths during the inter-monsoonal transition.
The department urged residents in the alert zones to avoid open areas, trees, elevated ground and bodies of water during thunderstorms, and to unplug sensitive electrical and electronic devices. Farmers, outdoor workers and motorcyclists are particularly at risk during afternoon squalls.
